University of Rhode Island ocean governance expert Elizabeth Mendenhall joins the latest Mongabay podcast episode to discuss the new BBNJ (biodiversity beyond natural jurisdiction) agreement, which has since become known as the “high seas treaty” — despite its official name and U.N. website address, www.un.org/bbnj — and that’s a problem, our guest on this episode says.
She tells Mongabay that the new high seas moniker pushed largely by western interests risks biasing the interpretation of what the BBNJ agreement was originally created to do: protect marine biodiversity in areas beyond state control. *Listen here:* https://news.mongabay.com/podcast/dont-call-it-the-high-seas-treaty-ocean-biodiversity-risks-being-sidelined-in-new-deal/ As she and co-author Fuad Bateh wrote in a com <https://news.mongabay.com/2024/02/high-seas-treaty-name-is-inaccurate-and-should-center-biodiversity-commentary/> mentary <https://news.mongabay.com/2024/02/high-seas-treaty-name-is-inaccurate-and-should-center-biodiversity-commentary/> for Mongabay earlier this year, while the treaty addresses policy around benefits sharing in relation to marine genetic resources and other key details, the final text contains unresolved gray areas around how concepts such as the “common heritage” principle and the “freedom of the high seas” will be applied. Learn more by clicking 'play' at the link above or find/follow the Mongabay Newscast via the podcast app of your choosing, wherever you get podcasts, from Spotify <https://open.spotify.com/show/66SkV6VkkoeiLFMT2cgh04> to Amazon <https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44774923-19b7-4f03-8bea-8fc0c9bb7ae1/mongabay-newscast>, or Apple <https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mongabay-newscast/id1155856616>, whatever service you prefer. And please share it with colleagues or students as appropriate, thanks, Erik -- *Member, Society of Environmental Journalists* *Instagram: @erikhoffner <https://www.instagram.com/erikhoffner/>* *BlueSky: @erikhoffner <https://bsky.app/profile/erikhoffner.bsky.social>* *Latest projects: www.erikhoffner.com <http://www.erikhoffner.com/>* To unsubscribe from this list please go to https://community.esa.org/confirm/?u=RhPWqPxFwODKvbkiT32nkIqRrsiSgulp
